This is the earliest known fairly
authentic view of Edinburgh. It illustrates an attack on the city,
believed to be by the Earl of Hertford in 1544, whose English
troops burnt most of the town.

The
details above are taken from an article 'The Early Views and Maps
of Edinburgh by William Cowan and Harry R G Inglis published in
the Scottish Geographical Magazine, Vol XXXV, Published by the
Royal Scottish Geographical Society, 1919.